Mail-sack catcher.



'3. H. MILLER. um. Amit dumm.' AHLIOLHO'I IILED Il! 18, 1968.

mama sept; 22, 1992 WJTNESSES.; l

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEToE.

noeisirr iiiuLLi'aN, or enti' ciiN'rEa'itANsAs.

HAILSACK cammen'.

which contemplates the use of a receiving n hook or fixture andtheohject of my invention is the production of a receiving hook orviiixture of a superior '.:onstruction to that now in use. v

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved hookapplied to a ear its operative position being shown in fullv lines andits ii'ioperative position being.

.suggested by dotted lines# Fig. is a plan l*` ig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the same. A I

At 1 shown the doorwa)v of a mail ear having mounted on its'franie asuitable socket 2 which may be of any pattern and mounted in anyconvenient oi practicable place, but for the present )urpose is shown asmounted on the ja-mb oli the frameof the door way. This socket receiveshaft 3 of a bar 4, the enlargement 5 positioningr the bar and serving asa hearing to withstand' the impact of the body t'o be received orcaught.

6 is a handleby which the barl 4 may be r0- tated together with theparts thereto attached, the hub 6a of the handle also serving as a. clami to bind into one rigid bundle, the bar 4 and the near ends of. thehook shaped and 8. These parts may all be rods 1 welded together at'thejoint. The outer or forward ends of the barsor rods 7 and S are joinedo1' welded` into a point 9 which is turned outward and away from the carand which serves as a gatherer and guide for the mail bag or packet inthe receiving operation.'

'At an intermediate position on the point t) is fastened a spring 10 bymeans of screws or other iastenings 11, the opposite and free end beingenlarged to form acatch or lretaining plate 122 having a tinger hold 13formed thereon or attac-lied thereto. On

the har 4 is also mounted by means of a bracket 14 and swiveled loopl 15and pivot 15, an L shaped rod the forward portion 16 of which is curvedas at 17, the rear portion 1Sbeing sti-aight. The enact shape of the Lshaped rod is immaterial;4 provided itapproximates a right angleingeneral outline.

. Speeication of Letters Patent. Application filed May 12, 1908. SerialNo. 32,331.

rammed sept. 22, 190s.

'The rear portion of the rml travells hack and forth in the slot 19fcriiietil b vV the rods 7 and S, the slot, being slightly wider in einemiddle than toward the ends.

In 'the operation of my device any suitable station 20 provided with asupport for the mail bag or packet :Z1 in this case :i post 22, islocated b v a railway, the rolling stock of which is provided with anycatciner. The catcher, being in position shown iin full lilies in Figs.1 and 2, in the course of the passage of the train or car receives themail bag or packet between the finger 17 and the point 9, the bag orpacket .pushing the, L shaped rod about on its pivot, until the real isin the position shown in dotted lines in Fg. 2 and in solid lines inFig. 3. In this no :ition the portion 1S is wedged and stopped in theconvergence of the slot and the end 17 of the part 16 having pushed:iside theA head or plate 12 of the spring 1t). in the course of itsmovement, slipspast the head or plate l2, which vreturns toV its noi-malposition and prevents the partI 16 from. rchoundlingor reverse movementuntil the operan-r in the process of'relcasing the mail bag pulls outthe plate 12 by means of the finger' hold 13.

To release the bag the operator may catch one end of the bag with onehand and slip aside the plate 12 with the other. After the release ofthe bag the device is again set by pushing the L shaped rod .to theeoriginal position as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the part 1Sbeing then jammed slightly in the converging slot end 19, t-o hold therodv from jarring out of the receiving position.

'hen not in use the device may he dropped or turned down, ordinarily byits ovm weight Yto the posit-ion shown in dotted' lines in Fia.

1, when the handle Iwill project, verticallv and the hook lie backpractically flush with the side the vehicle. It is apparent thereforethat my invention provides for the positive receiving and holding of thebagdelivered to it. l

Having thus described my invention the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure hy Letters Patent:

1. In a mail bag catcher, a hook-sha ed receiving arm, retaining meansadapte to be operated by the impact of a. body, for preventing Vtherebounding of said body, and

.a catch consisting of a spring attached to the outer surface of saidarm and means for releasing said catch.

2. In a mail bag catcher, a bmah-shaped receivino arm, pivoted meansadapted to be operate bythe impact of the bag, for pre` receiving arm,and .pivoted retaining means adapted to be perated by the impact of thebag, for prmrentingthe rebounding of the bag and consisting of a pivotedL shaped piece adapted to engage t 1e sides of a converging slot. i

4. In a mail bag catcher, a receiving arni, means operated by the impactof a bag for preventing the rebounding of the bag, and acatcli,'co11isting of a spring attached to the outer surface of saidarm, for securing said means against reverse movement.

5. In a mail bag catcher, a hook-sha )ed receiving arm, retaining meansadapte to be che'ated fhylthe impact of a bag, and a cate consisting ofa spring attached to the outer surface of said arm, forsecurijng theretaining means..

6. In a mail bag catcher, a hookshaped receiving arm, comnrisin twospaced members 4united 'at their en form a converging slot.

7. A mail bag catcher comprising a handle, a mounted bar, a hook shapedreceiving arm,

s and adapted to Va pivoted L shaped retaining piece adapted to wedge ina converging slot formed 1n the

